Hello I’m new to this forum.I started cycling 12 months ago. I ride cannock chase follow the dog and monkey trail a couple of times a week.next weekend I’m going to ride the dragons back trail at cyb. Does this require any more skill or fitness?

Dragons back is a great ride, it’s around 20ish miles from memory and a fair wack of climbing, but a brilliant day in the saddle. Only thing that I find slightly annoying is the long climb and then decent on fireroad, but that is being picky.

Having said all that if you can manage the braking bumps an Cannock you’ll be fine 😉

Heading that way myself this weekend. Pretty sure that someone on the forum will happily predict my death based upon the fact I will be riding a 29er hard tail. I am however expecting it to be fine.

The trails at CyB are all good fun and not too technical providing you exercise a little caution you will be fine. Yes it needs some fitness but generally if you have been riding quite a lot you should be fine.

Have fun.

Wolf, you will be fine, take it easy and have a rest at the top of the climbs (like most of us do, but dont say so).

The first bit is techy, but its there to put off riders who are not that capable. That way they can opt for a more easy ride before they find themselves half way round and out of their depth.

If you did Cannock you will find CyB slighly more challanging, but mostly because its more hilly and rocky.

Only thing that I find slightly annoying is the long climb and then decent on fireroad, but that is being picky.

Is that the bit furthest away from the car-park? Perversely, I enjoyed that, it was the bit with the best views out over the hills.

Apparently you can avoid it by just continuing on the steep tarmac road for a bit, anyhow.

Pretty sure that someone on the forum will happily predict my death based upon the fact I will be riding a 29er hard tail.

I rode the Dragon on my fully rigid 26er a couple of weeks back, but it sounds way too risky to ride a 29er – you may die!

Regularly ride Cannock, and did the MBR trail this summer at CYB.

The climbs are much steeper and longer at CYB, making it a pretty tough ride, but the rest of the trail makes it worth the effort. If it wasn’t a 3.5 hour drive each direction i’d go more often.

Ok thanks guys.looking forward to it.will be nice to ride somewhere different.

Apparently you can avoid it by just continuing on the steep tarmac road for a bit, anyhow.

If you are talking about the bit after the “Cafe” on the corner – yes thats true. The Tarmac is very steep but only 5 mins long, then you can see the start of the down on your right hand side.

I rode the dragons back a couple of weeks ago, unfortunately I was riding a 29er hardtail and suffered a terrible death

I rode CyB on a SS a few years ago. I too, suffered a horrific demise.

Is that the bit furthest away from the car-park? Perversely, I enjoyed that, it was the bit with the best views out over the hills.

Me too. I rather like that bit. Nice wide views, and a bit of a change of scenery.

Oh, and for the sake of continuity;

The last time I rode CYB, I was on an Enduro with triple clam forks, a Reverb and with 2.4″ Rubber Queens. My death was a noble death. But I got a bit better at the end, as I had a sausage roll and a can of fizzy pop in the sunshine.

We were at CyB a couple of weeks ago. I was just getting to the top of the really steep tarmac climb, when a dude comes hammering past me on his racy looking hardtail. We exchanged a bit of banter (he said something about it never getting easier – he was a few years older than me). A couple of minutes later another fast chap comes racing up behind me and shouts –

“I F********** HATE IT WHEN MY DAD BEATS ME!”

I think I might have let out a little bit of wee.

I usually ride the Dragons back but last time I fancied a change and did the MBR and fell in love with that trail, theres a couple of new additions especially the third section with all the berms Adam and Eve I think and it just got better. Other times when doing the MBR its to do some off Piste so we start off and then detour after Adam & Eve 😀